Idiocy
by JazziePerson
Summary: TV Show Episode Title Challenge - Prompt Set #18: Title Challenge: The Vests - Derek learns a lesson the hard way.


**Author's Note: **Hey guys. So, it's half term for me and I'm going off to Bath, Hay-on-Wye and then London for the week. I'm have an internet connection in London but that's not until Tuesday. So I'm uploading this story.

I was watching The Mentalist and this was sort of scene in it. I got inspired and I really could see it as a Criminal Minds moment. So I changed it. All the dialogue is mine but the basic plot belongs to The Mentalist. So Kudos to them. it was an awesome episode!

Anyway. I will post as soon as I get home but don't worry, I'll be beavering away, writing some more for when I get home.

DISCLAIMER: The basic plot belongs to The Mentalist. I don't own any of the Criminal Minds characters. I do own the rest, including James Vernon.

**Prompt Set #18**

Show: Barney Miller

Title Challenge: The Vests

Idiocy

The call had come in about one o'clock. Garcia had found a possible connection to the UnSub and Hotch had sent Morgan and Emily out to canvas. Neither of them particularly minded. It was a blisteringly hot day and there was a big paperwork aspect to the case that they had both been hoping to escape from. Also, working with Reid in that situation, in that heat, got old very fast. He just sat there, reading away, working his way through a stack of files while Emily and Morgan watched with palatable envy.

So when Garcia had called with the information they had jumped at the chance and Hotch had been more than happy to get rid of them. They'd both been restless since the paper trail began and to be honest, it was beginning to get on his nerves.

Morgan braked the SUV outside the house. He and Emily looked up at it. It was a nice enough, new enough house with no distinguishing features of any kind. It had a pale green door, normal brick walls and a bit of a rickety fence around the wild garden.

Emily glanced at him. "Not the gardening sort I'm saying?" she remarked with a roll of her eyes.

"You could be on to something there," Morgan replied, equally sarcastic.

"Anyway," Emily undid her seat belt and opened the door. "Let's get on with it."

"Yes, ma'am," Morgan teased, echoing her actions.

"Shut it."

"Of course, ma'am." Morgan was getting way too much fun out of this to just give up when she told him to.

Emily glowered at him. "Morgan, shut up, or I'll shoot you. Got it?" she asked sweetly.

Morgan nodded, smirking at her. He unclipped the holster of his weapon, in case he needed it in a hurry and began making his way towards the house.

"Morgan?" Emily called from behind him.

"Yeah?"

Emily gestured to the Kevlar she was wearing. "Aren't you gonna wear your vest?"

"Nah. Won't need one. We're just canvassing. And anyway, it's way too hot." Morgan brushed her off.

"Yes, because the weather and the probability of getting shot are connected." Emily glared at him. "I might just shoot you myself to prove the point."

Morgan rolled his eyes at her and continued walking towards the house. Emily frowned at Morgan's back for a moment and then hurried after him. As the only one wearing a vest, she might as well try and stop him getting himself injured. Morgan was a pain if he ever got injured.

When they reached the front path, Morgan stopped. He turned to Emily. "It's just canvassing. It'll be fine. You go round back and I'll take the front. I just want to make sure he doesn't nip out the back." Morgan's voice was low, as if he was worried that their guy would hear them from inside the house.

"Morgan!" Emily protested.

"It'll be fine." Morgan grinned. "Come on." He jogged up the path away from her.

Emily sighed and pushed off the path, running as quietly as she could through the garden towards the back of the house.

Morgan saw her go and smiled. It was kind of sweet with the whole Kevlar thing, that she did worry about him.

He moved up the front steps, towards the front door. He knocked loudly, taking out his badge.

"James Vernon, FBI. Open up! I've just got a few questions for you."

There was a scuffling sound and Morgan stood stock still, listening. He reached for his gun; he had a sudden feeling that this was going to be a rough one.

He was about to kick in the door when there was a massive slam like a firework, from the back of the house, quickly followed by three successive gunshots.

Morgan's blood turned to ice despite the heat of the day. He took off around the house, trampling over plants and scrubs until he reached the back door. It was swinging wildly and someone, who was probably James Vernon, was sprinting into the woods.

"Emily!"

There she was, flat on her back, clawing at the dirt. There were three distinctive holes in her Kevlar, the material still smoking. But Morgan couldn't see any blood. Please God, please don't let there be any blood.

He dropped to his knees beside Emily. "Emily!" he was breathless.

Emily's face was scrunched up and she seemed to be holding her breath. "Go! Get him, I'm fine!"

She looked like she was in such pain and Morgan hesitated, not wanting to leave. But when he didn't move, Emily opened her eyes and stared fiercely at him. "Morgan, go!"

Morgan moved reluctantly and in less than a second, he was sprinting after James Vernon. It didn't take him long to catch him. James Vernon wasn't a particularly fit man and Morgan being Morgan managed to catch him without too much difficulty. A quick tackle to the ground, handcuffs and that was that.

Pretty much sitting on top of Vernon, Morgan pulled out his phone. He quickly dialled 911 and input the necessary information so that the EMTs would be able to get there to help Emily. Then he rang Hotch.

"Hotchner," Hotch's voice was brisk.

"Hotch," Morgan didn't realise how panicky he sounded. "Hotch, it's Morgan."

"Morgan, what's going on?"

"Emily's been shot. The ambulance is coming. She was wearing her Kevlar but..."

"Morgan, we're on our way. Stay with her." Hotch ordered.

"I've got Vernon. It was him." Morgan told him before he hung up.

"Right."

Morgan put his phone away and then, getting up, pulled Vernon onto his feet. With probably more strength than was strictly necessary, he pressed the guy against the wall and then attached him, via his handcuffs, to a ring on the wall. Vernon twisted violently but he couldn't get free.

"You move and I will shoot you." Morgan spat before racing back to Emily.

He crouched down beside her. "Emily?"

Emily opened her squinting eyes and her lips curled in a very tight smile. "Hey, Morgan."

"It's gonna be okay, Emily. I called the ambulance and Hotch, they're on the way. I can already hear the sirens. Can you here them? Listen Emily." Morgan spoke softly.

"Yeah, I can hear them." Emily's eyes were wet but she hadn't let the tears flow yet. She was trying to stay strong.

"Good." Morgan smiled. "Keep listening. They'll be here any second."

"Thanks, Morgan." Emily's tight smile widened, if minutely.

Hotch, Morgan, JJ and Reid stood in the drive of James Vernon's house. Rossi had already left to escort Vernon back but the others had wanted to stay for Emily. They'd been milling around for about five minutes but to them, it felt like hours before two paramedics wheeled Emily passed them on their way to the ambulance. They stopped it when Hotch signalled to them, and stepped away, giving the team some privacy.

"How are you?" JJ asked.

"I'm gonna be fine. The bullets were stopped by the vest but the paramedics thought I might have broken a couple of ribs. Really, I'll be fine." Emily's knuckles were white as they rested on her stomach. It was clear she was still in pain. She looked down at her feet. "My legs keep twitching. I can't stop it." The whole team heard the tears in her voice but they all pretended not to notice.

"It's the adrenaline." Reid chimed in. "It's still in your system. It should dissipate within twenty four hours, probably less."

Emily nodded weakly.

"Good." Morgan smiled at her.

"Derek Morgan," Emily turned to look at him properly. "If you ever go out without your vest again, I swear to God, I will shoot you."

"Roger that." Morgan nodded seriously.

"Thanks." Emily smiled.

Hotch signalled to the others that he wanted a moment alone with Emily. They stepped away and formed a little huddle, talking again.

Hotch moved forwards so that he was standing right next to the gurney. He reached over gently and put his hand on Emily's. She smiled at him.

"Please make sure that I never have to receive another phone call like that again."

"You got it, sir." Emily agreed.

Hotch nodded to the paramedics and moved away. The paramedics took hold of the gurney again and began wheeling Emily towards the ambulance for yet another hospital visit.


End file.
